Visitors

We have had visitors today, Tam and Emma. I must go and check in a minute that neither of them have left with Caddy in the boot of the car :-)

We played with Tia a little bit, not for long because I like to rest them the day before a competition, but just to try her saddle out. She was a good girl, and did exactly the same for them as she does for me - wriggled and set. It is so irritating when someone gets on your horse and it goes better for them than you! I was glad she didn't :-) Don't get me wrong, she looks a picture even when she isn't moving quite properly, I'm very pleased with how she has come on.

We also rode Tetley, and he taught Tam shoulder in, travers and half pass. He was a sweetie pie. He's still not sound, but every day he is 1% better than the day before so at least heading in the right direction. But they remarked how sad he seems that he isn't getting more fun and going places. You can see it in his face.

We did Caddy's toes, so here they are:



Better eh? The nail holes are all gone, that is how overgrown his feet were. I cut half an inch off them, and they are still too long, they were that bad. But lovely an concave. I think his current soreness is that he is unaccustomed to weight on his frogs, but he is getting a lot better every day.

And here is what he thinks of a nice neck scratch :-)



We all agree that he does not look anything like an adult horse, more like a backward 3 year old or an advanced 2 year old. I am VERY hopeful that this means he will grow. He certainly looks already as if my hills have brought his backside right up, as he is now clearly a much bigger horse on the back end than the front. That's bad news for a dressage horse of course, so let's assume he'll grow!!

He's still footsore, especially on one hind, but that is getting better and I hope to be able to see soon what his real action is like. It certainly looks promising right now.

Please don't expect too much tomorrow. I have never done the dressage test on her because I do not have the space. And also because the dressage score is the least of my concerns for tomorrow. But jumping wise, she may either go better, or get cocky and spoil things thinking that she knows it all. We'll see. I'll be trying for a better showjumping score, and another clear xc, but I will be happy with slightly less on a second attempt.

C